FFX: All Bets Are Off IV: For the Love of Tidus
by Selphie800
Summary: This is the fourth installation of my All Bets Are Off series. I can't go into too much detail about the story here without giving it away. It continues to chronicle the lives of the 8 main characters as they prepare for their junior year at Zanarkand University. However, this summer an unforeseen event occurs that changes their lives.
1. Chapter 1

**WTF is this, you ask? Well, I thought I was done with this trilogy. But, let's just say…it's been a long boring summer and I got my laptop and began. Will I finish this? Who knows. As you know from my previous stories, I do not own these FFX characters. This is rated M for strong language, violence, and sexual content. You've been warned as usual. I haven't read anything on this site in a few years, so any resemblance to someone else's story is purely coincidental. **

**FFX: All Bets Are Off IV: For the Love of Tidus**

**Chapter One: Six Months Later**

"Miss Gardner, will there be anything else today?"

Paine sighed deeply. "No. That'll be all."

She watched the maid gather up her cleaning supplies and took a scornful glance around the clean penthouse apartment. Had she known six months ago that her life in Spira would mirror hell; she would never have agreed to move in with Baralai. Of course, deep down, she had known. This was exactly why she hadn't listened to Baralai when he'd insisted that she put her family's farm up for sale. She wanted to keep it. She felt that she would need it. Despite Baralai's assurance that he would never kick her out, she needed to feel independent. She even kept her part time job at Yenke's Burger, though her boyfriend had more than enough gil to keep an orphanage fed and clothed. Her boyfriend.

It was weird, even now, for her to think of Baralai in that way. But, that's exactly what they'd both agreed the correct label of their relationship was. Six months ago, when Baralai had suggested moving in together, she'd assumed they'd just get a decent apartment in central Zanarkand, not too far from the university. She'd been wrong. Baralai, in true form, had demanded that they live at The Ifrit, one of the most expensive hotels in downtown Zanarkand. And not just any hotel room, it had to be the penthouse suite. Of course. Even though she was used to the room service, maids, and dry cleaning, she still felt uncomfortable. It was definitely the life her deceased grandmother Folene had envisioned for her, but that didn't mean she had to be happy about it. It wasn't the same as being at the farm, where she could sit on her front stoop and think, with the peaceful atmosphere surrounding her.

Now, if she wanted the slightest bit of peace, she had to go out on the balcony, which she didn't have any desire to do, unless she were contemplating suicide. The penthouse apartment rested comfortably on the twentieth floor. And there was the ongoing heavy downtown traffic to contend with as well. She took a sip from the fine china coffee cup and almost gagged. Hadn't she told Baralai a million times already that she hated espresso? Why couldn't his lazy ass just use the coffee maker and make regular coffee? He was gone now to an early morning meeting with the Abes. She thought she might have some idea what it was about. There had been something on the previous evening news about a blitzball lockout. Something about the players being unhappy with their salaries.

As far as she was concerned, they should be glad that they were getting paid at all. She didn't exactly consider young boys frolicking in the sphere pool worthy of earning a paycheck. She was glad that it was summer. At least for now, Baralai would quit nagging her about college. He'd thought that she would have changed her mind about it, but she hadn't. She still had no desire to go. She wasn't exactly sure what she wanted out of life. After all, she was only twenty years old. She had plenty of time to sort it all out. She smirked as she walked over to the coffee maker. Twenty years old, and an almost wife. She had been too close to making one of the biggest mistakes of her life. She knew now that she had been willing to marry Clive out of loneliness, rather than love.

She hadn't seen him since the non-wedding. She avoided going to the Mika house, though she still kept in contact with all of the housemates. She could hear the sound of a key card being slid into the door. She turned the coffee maker on, and turned expectantly to face Baralai. He came into the door, and immediately turned the television on. He told her repeatedly that he hated silence. Then he turned to her.

"It's done. Those greedy sons of bitches have screwed us all. Now none of us will play blitz this summer," he declared, plopping down on the plush black sofa.

"What's going on?" she asked, pretending interest.

"Well, it started with the damn Ronso. Somehow it got out that they weren't making as much as the Guado. Then, the owners decided they didn't have to put up with any of our shit, and decided there would be no games this summer. What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"I thought your father wanted you to work at the company this summer."

"Of course he does. But, I'd told him I'd be too busy with blitz games. Now, I've got to spend my summer shut in some stuffy office."

She didn't say anything. Honestly, it was exactly the kind of job she envisioned him doing. He certainly wouldn't want to get his hands dirty or his manicure chipped. Of course, it wasn't exactly the job he was complaining about. It was _work._ For reasons unknown to her, Baralai thought that he should have everything handed to him on a silver platter. As far she was concerned, rolling out of a rich lady's crotch didn't exactly qualify him for a life of luxury. She covered her eyes with her hands imagining what her parents would have thought of him. She came from a stock of hard working people. This was why it was so hard for her to envision her parents on vacation. They'd gone on a mini vacation to Mt. Gagazet when they'd disappeared. It had been at Folene's insistence, and she'd never been able to forgive herself.

She poured her coffee. "I'm bored, Baralai."

He scowled immediately. "Not that shit again! How the hell can you be bored? You live in a luxury hotel, with all the entertainment you can stand downstairs. I guess you don't feel alive unless you're shoveling horse shit, huh?"

She took a sip of her coffee calmly. Since they'd moved in together, she'd been trying to keep her temper in check. It wasn't easy when Baralai had an undeniable knack for pissing her off.

"I'm bored with this stuffy living."

"So do something about it. I don't keep you chained here. Go out, go shopping. Here," he said, getting up and reaching for his wallet, "Go to the mall and go crazy. I don't know any women that don't like to shop."

He held the gold card out to her. She refused to take it. He had met his first woman that didn't enjoy going from store to store, spending hours looking at their merchandise. She would have at least thought about it if he'd suggested joining her. Though they were a couple now, she thought he avoided spending time with her in public. They'd only gone out to dinner twice in six months.

"Why don't you come with me? Show me how it's done," she said, testing him.

He immediately shook his head. "I have things to do, Paine. If you need a shopping buddy, call Rikku or Lulu. I think they both could use a break from crying in their beer, don't you?"

She put the cup down hard. "Baralai, just because they don't have a man glued to their sides, does not mean that they are somewhere crying."

"Whatever. I'm going to go see my father. I'll leave the card. Buy whatever you want," he said, dismissing her like a servant.

"I'll do just that," she said defiantly, picking up her phone to call someone.

"Paine, are you sure this is okay? I mean, this is my favorite store. I could buy almost everything in here," Rikku gushed, holding a bright purple tank top against her body.

"Sure. Get whatever you want," Paine assured her, though she frowned slightly at her friend's choice in clothing.

It wasn't that it was a bad color for her. Not exactly. The problem was that in the past six months since Gippal had hit the road with his band again, Rikku had really let herself go. Paine was certain that she was almost twenty pounds overweight. This didn't suit the pretty petite blonde.

"I don't like that shirt, Rikku," Lulu said, trying to go for tact.

She'd unsuccessfully tried to get Rikku to notice that she'd put on some weight, but so far, nothing was working. Not even the fact that her clothing didn't fit the same. She was sure that someone at home would mention it to her. Rikku had been avoiding the townhouse for months. Perhaps she knew that her father and brother wouldn't have kind words for her. Lulu certainly understood why she was depressed. She had said goodbye to Wakka a week ago. He had gone down to Besaid to oversee the construction of a new Tornado restaurant. Auron was too sick to travel right now, and Wakka had been anxious to get started on the project as soon as he'd been given the green light from Auron.

He had impatiently waited for school to end. Though she and Wakka still had yet to talk about it, Lulu felt that their relationship was in serious trouble for the first time in over two years. She knew that Wakka was going to want to be involved with anything involving the new restaurant. When she had asked him how he was going to run the restaurant from Zanarkand, he had become eerily quiet. She knew that he was serious about it. He had even changed his major to restaurant management. If Wakka moved to Besaid, she knew that they would likely have to break up. Long distance relationships didn't usually succeed, and she knew that Majestic would have a fit if she left to follow Wakka.

Her mother needn't worry. She had no intention of doing that. What for? The restaurant was his project. She was intent on finishing college, anyway. Majestic had yet to mention it, but she didn't want to run the bakery, either. She wanted to attend law school and become a lawyer.

"Lulu, did you hear me? How do I look?" Rikku asked, turning in the ultra tight tank top for her inspection.

Lulu tried unsuccessfully not to grimace. "I don't like it. I told you that. Please pick something else."

Just then, the radio announcer on the store's speaker announced that Penance would be in the city for a summer concert in two weeks. Lulu and Paine's eyes met. Penance. Gippal's band. Lulu wasn't sure what had happened between them, but she knew that Rikku hadn't heard a word from Gippal since he'd hit the road this time. The girl had been completely devastated. Lulu had found her often in the Mika house's living room, accompanied by a tub of ice cream, babbling something about Gippal missing a tattoo. She had watched Penance's music video for their number one song, _Al Bhed Girl, _and hadn't noticed anything particular about Gippal.

Rikku froze as soon as she heard the word Penance. She covered her mouth with her hand and hurriedly ran into the dressing room again. She couldn't believe Gippal's betrayal. She was more than certain he was sleeping with a bunch of girls by now. How else could he explain not calling her or writing her? She checked the mail herself every day after he left, so he couldn't claim some letter had been misplaced again. She had thought that they had a special connection. Hadn't Gippal showed her the utmost devotion by tattooing her name on his neck? She cleared her throat and composed herself. She felt silly breaking down in a clothing store. She put her own clothing on again, and decided that she felt like going to the ice cream shop next door.

She pulled the curtain aside and returned the tank top to the rack. "I'm going next door for a triple scoop of bourbon fudge," she announced.

"Rikku, wait," Lulu called frantically.

"What is it, Lulu?"

"Um, well…"

"I thought we could go to lunch at the Tornado. My treat," Paine said quickly.

Lulu grimaced. Why had Paine chosen that place? They could have gone to a healthier place like a salad buffet. She watched Paine light a cigarette and then wondered why the hell she had looked to her for a picture of health.

"Rikku! Is that you? Geez, what the hell happened, baby?" Gatta laughed, as he stepped off the escalator.

"What are you talking about, Gatta?"

"Don't play stupid. Are you knocked up? You're fat."

"And you're a dick. Why don't you get lost?" Paine demanded.

"If I'm a dick, you're used to it, Paine. I heard you were dating Baralai. But, really, Rikku, you look like hell. Some friends you've got. They let you come out in public."

"Shut up!"

"Rikku, ignore him. Let's go," Lulu said, steering her toward the escalator.

* * *

"Look, Zalora, he ain't got it. Some people are born with it. He ain't one of `em," Tidus heard Jecht say from his room.

He leaned against the wall in the hall. He'd been on his way to the kitchen for a snack, and didn't really need this. It had been Jecht's insistence that he come to work with him since the blitzball lockout. He didn't know a damn thing about construction, but Jecht had insisted that it was in his blood and therefore he should have no problem. Wrong.

"Honey, he's trying. You didn't exactly give him an option about it. You knew he didn't want to do it," Zalora said gently.

"I didn't twist his balls, either. I just thought he'd take after me in some way. I love working with my hands, building things. The work's hard, that's all it is. He can't hack it."

"He's got a lot of other things on his mind right now. He can't play blitzball and Yuna's working in Bevelle this summer."

"Blitzball is a hobby at best. Just something to fart around with. I hope he's not wasting my gil in that college. He's smart, like his mother. She was into the books. But he is like me in one way. When it comes to the women."

"Not anymore since Yuna. And better not be for you, either."

"You'd leave me?" Jecht challenged.

Tidus smirked. He knew damn well that Zalora would never leave his dad no matter what he did. He had a way with women. Or so he claimed. Jecht had told Tidus once that he was so successful with women that he had convinced a lesbian to give men another chance. Then, why had he decided to chain himself with marriage? He claimed every man needed a woman in his house. The way he said it made Tidus wonder many times about Jecht's fidelity. He himself hadn't been much better until he'd met Yuna Riley. He smiled to himself, thinking about their rocky beginning. They'd hated each other. Now, he wasn't sure if they could bear to be apart. Yuna had taken an internship at the Bevelle University Hospital, the most important hospital in all of Spira. There had been no question that if she indeed wanted to be a nurse, she should take the opportunity. He continued on to the kitchen.

"Hey," Jecht called.

Tidus paused in the doorway.

"Um, I've been thinking. For liability reasons, maybe you ought to not come to the site again. I mean, you've got your job at that restaurant, anyway, right?"

"Not while Wakka's out of the city. Auron's sick, so he can't come in. Chappu's in charge and I don't like him."

"That's not a reason not to go to work. Before I started this company, I hated my boss so bad I used to pray to Yevon that somebody killed him before work every morning."

"Jecht!"

Jecht shrugged. "I did. But, I went to work."

"Auron said I didn't have to go until Wakka got back. I couldn't promise him that I wouldn't smash his nephew's face in."

"So, what are you going to do then? Lay around here all day?"

"No. I'll find ways to fill my time. I won't even be here most of the time. Mr. Isaaru said we could hang out at the Mika house if we wanted. He finally got a job teaching summer school, so he doesn't really need our rent gil until school starts again."

"Now, why would you want to do that with Yuna gone?" Jecht asked, raising an eyebrow.

He knew his son. He was sure that Tidus loved Yuna enough to die for her, but he was also wise enough to know that when his son had an 'itch', it usually got scratched and not by his own hands, either. The old saying was true: "While the cat's away, the mice will play." And his son had certainly done his fair share of playing. Maybe things were different now. Maybe.

"Because I have friends at the house. And I like being there with people my own age."

Jecht turned to Zalora. "Is he trying to call us old? I ain't old. I still got plenty of miles left."

"Sure, Dad. Anyway, I'm going to head over to the house. I'll see you later."

"Sure."

Tidus left the house. As he drove toward the Mika house, he couldn't help but think about his goodbye to Yuna at the airship station.

"_I can't believe you let me do this. I'll miss you," Yuna said, staring up at her blond boyfriend, wishing she had said no to the internship._

"_You have to do this. This is a big deal. Didn't you tell me that this hospital gets dozens of internship applicants a year? Besides, I'd feel like crap if you stayed just for me."_

"_That's because you're a good boyfriend."_

"_Just good?"_

_She reluctantly smiled, knowing she would miss him more than she could ever say verbally. Ever since Tidus had gotten his memory back, the two of them had been inseparable. The weird thing about it was that they'd even discovered new things about each other. _

"_You're the best boyfriend ever. Just make sure you come and visit me."_

"_Yeah. Just as soon as you have time."_

"_I'll have to see what my workload is like first. I'm hoping we can plan something after a week."_

"_Maybe. I'm sure you're going to be very busy the first week. Just don't forget that you have a boyfriend in Zanarkand."_

"_I won't. Don't you forget it, either."_

Tidus broke out of his reverie as the radio announced Penance's upcoming concert. He wasn't a big fan, but he would go just to support Gippal. He took a shortcut through a back alley and parked in front of the Mika house. Mr. Issaru's car wasn't here. Good. He was hoping he could relax and watch television. He unlocked the front door and almost collided with Darcy. She smiled up at him.

"Hi, Ti. What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Just hanging out. Who's home?"

"I don't know. I think Rikku is. I'm going down to the Tornado."

"I'm sure Chappu doesn't have time to entertain you."

"Is that your way of saying you want me to stay here and keep you company?" she challenged, her dark eyes staring into his.

"Have fun at the Tornado," he said, moving past her and into the hallway.

She slammed the door shut. Honestly, she didn't know why she didn't just return to Luca. Well, mostly because Chappu was turning out to be a better boyfriend than Tidus had ever been. He actually listened to her, though he gave no real advice about whether he thought she could succeed as an actress or not. That was her dream. To someday be on the big screen, maybe having her head ripped off by a vicious monster as a captivated audience looked on in awe at her screen brilliance. She hadn't really wanted to go to the Tornado, but it was better than listening to Rikku sob in the kitchen. Honestly, the girl should just get a new boyfriend and move on. No doubt Gippal was screwing anybody he could get his hands on. She shuddered. Rikku would have a difficult time seducing Keepa in her current physical condition.

Inside, Tidus slightly grimaced to find Rikku curled up on the couch, a box of Kleenex near as she stared at the television screen.

"Hey, Rikku."

She barely acknowledged his presence. She gave a half-hearted wave and continued watching Penance's video. Tidus moved past her and picked up the remote off the coffee table. He turned the channel. Instantly, she was on her feet.

"What are you doing? I'll miss the ending!" she screamed.

"I'm sure you've seen that video a million times," he said calmly, continuing to channel surf.

"So! It's the only way I can see Gippal. I'm sure he has a lot of fans by now. That's a really great song, don't you think?" she asked, sinking onto the couch again.

"It's okay," he relented. He didn't want to confess that he'd never heard it all the way through. He usually changed the station.

"I spoke to Yuna today. She misses you like crazy. Did you talk to her today?"

"Not yet. I miss her, too."

"Well, at least she's keeping busy. Maybe I should get a job."

"Maybe. It's a good way to keep your mind occupied."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence. Yuna had only been gone for four days. Their link. Sure, they knew each other as well as any housemates could, but she was their real connection. Rikku stared at the back of his tanned legs, noticing how well muscled they were. He was in incredible shape.

"Hey, Tidus, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Do you think I need to lose weight?"

She took notice of the way his blue eyes darted around before he answered.

"Well…not really…."

"Don't lie. Gatta called me fat today."

"I think you know that you've gained a little bit of weight. But, if you're okay with it, that's all that matters."

"I'm not. I've been thinking about losing it, but I don't have any motivation. I don't feel pretty anymore. That's why I haven't been home. Pops and Brother will really let me have it."

"Well, if you want some help, I'll be glad to help you. I don't have a lot to do since I can't play blitz and I'm not working until Wakka gets back."

"You'd help me?"

"Yeah, if you really want to lose the weight."

"I do. Thanks for not lying to me and saying I looked okay."

"Okay, but keep this in mind, Rikku. If I become your trainer, I'm going to be tough on you and I won't put up with any crap."

"I can't let Gippal see me looking like this."

He cocked his head to the side. "Okay. Let that be your motivation. Let's start now."

"Um…maybe tomorrow?"

"Why not right now? I'll wait until you get changed."

* * *

Paine sat up abruptly in the king sized bed. What was that noise? Instantly, she recognized the sounds coming from the living room stereo. She groaned and looked at the clock. It was a little after one in the morning. She could hear several voices, so she knew Baralai wasn't alone. Why on Spira had she agreed to this? She pulled herself from the bed, and slipped on her robe. She opened the bedroom door and walked down the short hallway.

She immediately recognized several Abes as they milled about. Keepa was uncovering a party platter of meat and cheese, Botta was at the mini bar, Letty was smoking and talking loudly on his cell phone, and Jassu was flipping through the channels of the big screen television. Baralai was squatted at the stereo, flipping through his massive Cd collection. She stalked over to him and tapped his shoulder.

He looked up. "What?"

"It's after one in the fucking morning. I'm trying to sleep, that's what. Wasn't there some other place you and your friends could have gone to?"

He gave her a smile that told her he was indulging her by bothering to answer.

"My friends are welcome here as long as I'm footing the bill. You wanted to lay with your body next to mine, so I suggested we live together. But, Paine, honestly you need to start acting your age. Are you twenty or forty?"

"Are you twenty or thirteen? Adults have consideration for other people's rest."

"What the fuck do you need so much rest for? I'm paying someone to do all the work at that rundown farm. Flipping burgers must be more exhausting than I gave it credit for. Is that it?"

She was more than tempted to slap him. However, she wasn't in the mood to put on a show for his idiot friends. She turned to go back into the room.

He grabbed her arm. "Hey, don't try to sleep angry. Have a drink. I insist," he said, handing her his glass.

She glared at him, and took the glass. She took a sip and felt herself begin to relax a bit. He smiled.

"There you go. Stay in here and finish your drink and then I'll kick everybody out and really help you get back to sleep, okay?"

She strolled over and joined Letty on the couch. She immediately noticed that it wasn't a cigarette he was smoking. She shrugged. She didn't care. She knew without a doubt that she would be packing her belongings and heading back to her farm in the morning, no matter how skilled a lover Baralai was. Letty offered her the joint. She hesitated and then took a hit.

The first rays of the bright Zanarkand sun brought Paine out of a slightly restful sleep. She sat up slowly on her elbows and looked around. Who had opened the damn drapes? Baralai was snoring loudly next to her, on his back, a silk black sleeping mask covering his eyes. She sat up and reached for the expensive royal purple silk robe that he had given her. She didn't particularly care for it, but it beat walking around naked in case they weren't alone. She opened the door to the bedroom and her nostrils were immediately filled with the scent of freshly brewed espresso. She frowned. What was going on? Upon turning the corner of the hall, she found her answer.

Seated on the plush black sofa, sat a woman she recognized immediately as Baralai's mother. There was no mistaking the white hair that had obviously seen a salon recently, the well manicured nails whose polish shone brightly, and the expensive looking black silk suit she wore. She delicately placed the china cup down on the glass coffee table. Her dark brown eyes, so like her son's, gave Paine a quick once over. She dabbed her lips delicately on a lace napkin before she spoke.

"So. I gather that your one of my son's playmates. By what name do you call yourself?"

Paine instantly bristled. "My name is Paine. And I'm not one of Baralai's playmates."

A delicately shaped white eyebrow lifted. "Oh? How come I've never heard of you before, dear?"

Paine was at a loss for words. She had no idea why Baralai hadn't mentioned her to his parents. Of course, there were several speculations. The first that came to mind was that he was ashamed of her. Actually, that was the only reason. And why the hell should he be ashamed? If anyone should be ashamed, it should be her. Baralai represented everything that she hated in a man. He was pretty; too pretty, a snob, and…

"Mother, what are you doing here?" she heard before she could finish the argument in her brain. Baralai stood at the corner of the hall.

Primrose Griffin stood up to address her son. "Well, I haven't seen you in a few days, so I decided to drop by and see what you've been doing with your summer. Your father expects that you'll be coming into the office soon."

"Of course he does," Baralai said, walking slowly to the espresso machine. Yevon knows he didn't feel like being bothered with his mother this morning. He had a hangover from the farplane. Why had Paine let her in? He certainly didn't need a lecture about the proper way to handle your "flings". He knew his mother had plenty to say about the fact that Paine was wearing only a robe and no slippers. He smiled into his cup as he thought about his supposedly delicate mother fainting at the idea that he was indeed naked underneath his own silk robe. How indecent.

"Well, what did you expect to do with your summer? Lay in bed all day?" Primrose demanded sarcastically, her hands on her hips.

"Of course not, but I'm not playing blitz and I don't want to be shut up in a stuffy office all summer, either."

Primrose's scowl deepened. "I'm sure your father won't be pleased to hear any of this. He's got some important meetings coming up this summer and he expects you to attend. I'm sure…Paine…can find other ways to entertain herself in your absence."

"That's one thing you can count on for certain, Mrs. Griffin," Paine assured her. She wouldn't bother to tell her that she had indeed made up her mind and was going to move out of the penthouse within a week. She and Baralai could continue to see each other, but she knew if she stayed, someone was going to be spending time at the Zanarkand prison.

**End of Chapter One.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: ****My Father's Keeper**

"I miss you so much," Yuna said discreetly into the phone.

She was in Bevelle, settled into the apartment that she shared with two other girls, who'd also been accepted through the Bevelle Hospital's internship program for the summer. Right now, Cambia Young, one of the roommates, was getting dressed to go to work. Yuna supposed she liked both girls well enough, though she considered Cambia more friendly and outgoing than Venis. Venis was two years older and kind of pissed that her two college roommates hadn't made the cut. Well, that was too bad.

"I miss you, too. These past three weeks have been torture," Tidus said into the phone.

"What have you been doing? Are you still helping Rikku with her weight?" Yuna asked, remembering that she'd meant to say something to her cousin about her weight long before the summer break. The problem was, she knew Rikku well enough to know that she wouldn't appreciate another girl telling her that she'd become overweight. She was more than grateful that Tidus was helping her get back on track. The girl had been an inconsolable mess since Gippal had left for a second time. Yuna had almost told her cousin that she could do a lot better than Gippal, but Rikku had always refused to acknowledge Gippal's faults.

"Has Rikku been an unwilling participant?" Yuna asked, covering a giggle. She could almost see the scowl on her boyfriend's face.

"Has she? She complains every single day, even on the days I don't make her work out. The good news is that she's lost four pounds. She could lose a lot more if she listened to me."

"She's stubborn. You know Rikku," Yuna said, absently noticing that the pink lace bra that Cambia was strolling around in looked very familiar.

She'd told the girl numerous times since her arrival that she wouldn't be sharing her clothing and most certainly not her underwear! For some odd reason, Cambia had chosen not to listen, hoping for some sympathy because she couldn't afford things as nice. It hadn't been Yuna's fault that her parents had decided to run a chocobo farm in the Calm Lands instead of trying to take advantage of the great technological opportunities that Zanarkand had to offer.

"Yeah. So, how's work going?"

"It's okay. The people here are more snobby than I remembered."

Tidus laughed. "Isn't Bevelle supposed to be some sort of religious city?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you should look down your nose at outsiders."

"You're just too nice. Tell them off."

"I can't do that. I'm in their city, after all."

"Well, try to have some fun. I miss you like crazy. I have to get ready to take Rikku to the sphere pool. Since the Abes aren't using it, I figured it could be a good source of exercise."

"Okay. I have to go to work in an hour, anyway. Tell everyone I said hello."

"I will….I love you, Yuna."

"I love you, too. Goodbye," she said, hanging up and turning to Cambia.

"Don't tell me your one of those romantic types that believes her boyfriend wouldn't cheat while she's away," Cambia said as she applied hot pink lipstick.

"He's not that sort," Yuna replied, slightly annoyed.

She hadn't appreciated Cambia's catty tone.

Cambia shrugged. "All I'm saying is that you're a pretty girl and we work in a hospital with a lot of young single doctors. You shouldn't tie yourself to just one guy yet. You're still so young."

"Well, what's wrong with that? Especially if you know he's the one," Yuna replied, slipping into her uniform.

And she was more than certain that Tidus Stone was the one for her. She knew the first day she set sight on him. There had just been something about him that made him special. She had even been ready to give up her existence as the biggest flirt in the senior class at Zanarkand High. After all, what had teenage boys been to her except for a way to pass the time in school? She was more than certain she'd made the right choice by saving herself for Tidus.

"Come on. We'll be late for our shift," Cambia said, giving her long straight electric blue hair one more comb through.

"Don't you have a boyfriend back in Luca?"

Cambia shrugged. "I don't believe in tying myself down to one person right now. We should be having the time of our lives. Speaking of which, we better go. Hey, how there's a group of us going on a boat ride on Macalania Lake tonight. They say the pyreflies are really pretty there."

Yuna debated. She didn't have a whole lot to do tonight. She could join the group, or she could sit in her room all night, thinking of Tidus, wishing she could feel him or see his smile. She decided she would go. She had never been at Macalania Lake at night, and she wanted to be able to capture the memory.

* * *

"Gippal, you were great tonight. You really blew the roof off of this place," said Paxwell Greene, the group's new manager as he watched the star of Penance collapse into a corner chair.

When Zanarkand Star Records asked him to be the manager of the band, he knew it was an opportunity that he couldn't pass down. Not only were the three young guys good-looking, well-fit, and knew how to work a crowd, he'd sensed big gil down the line. His last group had been a trio of young girls called Flantastic. They, too, had promising careers ahead of them. So promising in fact, they had decided to drop Pax, who they had considered too old-fashioned with his ideas. Sure, he was no spring chicken at thirty-eight, but he would hardly consider himself old-fashioned.

Gippal, his face drenched in sweat, breathed heavily. What in the farplane had he allowed himself to be talked into? People who knew him back in Zanarkand would call him a sellout to his face if they could get close enough. He had deliberately stayed away from that particular city, and it hadn't just been about old friends, either. When Pax had laid down his great plans for Penance, Gippal instantly knew that Rikku, his longtime girlfriend, would not be invited on the ride. He couldn't complain; Pax had done wonders for Penance, but at what price? Already gone was their hardcore image which consisted of bone tight jeans, sleeveless shirts, no socks and sneakers. And then, the music. No longer were they considered the group that you wanted to let loose to at parties. Nope. Now, if you wanted to make out or make love, you listened to Penance.

Now that Gippal had the smooth, gravelly tone that could get the girls wet, Pax saw no need to waste it screaming through the microphone. And Penance was climbing the charts. Their number one single, _Al Bhed Girl, _had been number one for thirty three weeks. They were hot. Their second single, _Be My Fayth, _was on its way. All of the stations were playing it, and they were due to sing it live in Luca in two nights. Right now, they were wrapping up an opening for O'aka and Wantz, a hugely successful hip hop duo in Macalania. Sure, he felt like a dirt bag for deserting Rikku again, but he owed Mallet and Spencer. They had dedicated themselves to his band since they were all in junior high. Gippal got up from his chair, downed some water, and decided he needed some air. He changed from what he considered "preppy" clothes: a clean, buttoned down short sleeved shirt, breathable jeans, and socks (can you imagine?!).

Pax had explained that he wanted them to be heartthrobs, not lawbreakers. Gippal didn't have a problem with that, but did that mean he had to learn how to dance? Yes, Gippal Hawthorne danced now. And not just his usual wild gyrations but choreographed steps performed in time to the music. He changed into a dingy t-shirt and ripped jeans and headed out a side door into the alley. He walked a few feet into the near forest of Macalania. He'd forgotten that he was still wearing his stage makeup, which Linze, the makeup artist, did a fine job of covering his tattoos. He lit up a Zu, and leaned against the building. He had to find someone, and soon. He only had one capsule of diamond dust left, and he knew he would take it as soon as Spira's sunlight came pouring through his windows the next morning.

Imagine his surprise and delight when he'd discovered a capsule version of blizzaga in Kilika. He'd purchased several bottles between that time and now. Six months ago. Their first stop on the tour. Now, his well was almost dry, and he knew without a doubt, he couldn't do without the stuff. At first, it had been a burden, and what he considered the ruining of his perfectly acceptable chipper voice. His voice was still the same, only more grit and grain to it. But now, he knew that there were other advantages of the stuff. He had no complaints before, but he knew his blond coif had never been silkier, his complexion smoother, and not to brag, but he could go twice as long now in the sack. He remembered discovering that five weeks later into the tour when he'd allowed some fan to talk him into giving her something to "remember" him by. And he hadn't stopped there. Since he'd already started down the path of destruction and away from Rikku, he made sure to leave a "reminder" everywhere they went in Spira.

"Hey, what are you doing out in the dark? Don't you know that nobody with any sense walks around Macalania at night," he heard suddenly, and turned to his right to see a tall dark shadow nearing his position perched on a tree stump.

"Why's that?" he asked bravely, though he were hoping this wasn't an obsessed fan that loved him enough to kill him.

The stranger shrugged. "These woods are unpredictable."

"Why are you out there then? Besides, my people are only a few feet away."

"I'm out here because people need something to help them see the stars. Sure, Macalania is beautiful, but if you really want the stars to shine in your eyes, you might be interested in what I'm selling."

"What'cha got?" Gippal asked quickly, almost desperately.

"What do you need?" the stranger asked pointedly.

"Got any diamond dust?"

"Of course. How much do you need?"

"I'm on tour right now for six more months. I need that much worth."

"Shit. You ain't playing around. Good, now I can head on. I'm making my way home, but I won't bore you with the details."

_Thank you, just give me what I need, _Gippal thought, reaching into his pocket to produce some gil. He got his supply, finished his cigarette, and decided to head back. The wind picked up considerably, and he was almost frightened to be walking the brightly lit forest alone at night.

"A storm's coming. Better get back inside," the stranger warned.

Gippal hadn't heard him. He was already sprinting back to the concert hall.

* * *

Rikku strained with all of her young might to pull her body up. When her elbows touched her knees, she collapsed into pure exhaustion. She hated blonds. No, take that back. There was only one at the top of her torture list right now and his name was Tidus Stone.

"Good. You finished them this time. You deserve a treat," Tidus declared, reaching for her hand to help pull her up into a standing position.

She brushed her bottom off, and squinted up at him. "Really? I hope it's something delicious. I'm starving."

"You'll be pleased," Tidus assured her as they left the East Zanarkand gym. He was pleased. In three weeks, he had Rikku looking almost like her former self again. She had about ten more pounds to lose, which wasn't easy but he had her on a very strict diet and exercised with her twice a day. Not that he needed it, but it wouldn't hurt to keep in shape while there was still no blitzball.

He and Rikku got into his car and headed for downtown. He turned the radio station to rock, which he knew wouldn't likely be playing Penance's latest single. He knew Rikku had a damaged heart, and he needed her to stay focused on what they were trying to accomplish. He had spoken to Yuna before she had gone on a boat ride across Macalania last night, and couldn't help feeling more than a little jealous. He would have liked to have shared that with her. He made a mental note to take the trip with her before college began again.

He pulled into the parking lot of a frozen yogurt shop. He pretended to glance out the window so Rikku wouldn't catch sight of his grin. He had seen her frowning out of the corner of his eye.

"This is my treat? You're kidding," she complained.

"Nope. Come on, give it a try," he said, ignoring her and opening his car door.

Rikku clenched her teeth to keep from screaming. For three straight weeks, under Tidus' watchful eyes, she had not had an ounce of sugar. Not one! And now, he was "treating" her to frozen yogurt, which in her mind was the equivalence to eating an ice cube. She grumpily followed him into the shop and stomped to a corner booth and plopped down. She watched as Tidus continued to hold the glass door open, waiting for an elderly couple to pass through. Momentarily startled, she realized she had been noticing the way the muscles in his right arm bulged, clearly viewable in his sleeveless white t-shirt. It hadn't been the first time in these few weeks that she had, since the first time she'd laid eyes on him, realized how gorgeous he was.

He plopped into the booth across from her. "Order whatever you want."

She ignored him, and looked around the shop. Strangely, growing up in Zanarkand her whole life, she had never been to this shop before. And why would she? She knew she wouldn't find anything tasty here. But, she did like the sky blue and bubble gum pink decorations. It reminded her of a candy shop. A toothy waitress came bouncing over to their table.

"Hello! I'm Martha! How can we serve you today?"

"I don't know. What do you recommend?" Tidus asked her.

"Nothing on this menu," the waitress couldn't help flirting, being magnetized by his blue eyes.

"He's taken, sister! I'll have a bowl of vanilla bean," Rikku interrupted crisply.

The waitress tore her eyes away from Tidus and jotted down the order. Then she turned to him expectantly.

"Same thing," he shrugged, closing the menu.

"I didn't mean anything. I'll bring your order right out," she apologized, heading toward the swinging double doors of the kitchen area.

Tidus gave Rikku a look. "What was that about?"

"Please. She was so flirting with you! As long as you're with my cousin, I'll keep the skanks away!"

"And who do I have to keep away from you?"

Rikku sighed. "No one. I'm sure I'll hear from Gippal any day now."

Tidus stared. He knew Rikku hadn't heard from Gippal in six months. It was a well known fact around the house. Who was she kidding? He only had a three week itch, so he knew that Gippal's itch had been scratched several times between then and now. Besides, what was so great about Gippal? He still wasn't that great of a singer, always had gas, and was completely impulsive most of the time. Tidus couldn't figure it out. Rikku insanely worshipped the guy. Maybe he had a chocolate tipped dick.

He frowned slightly, almost wishing he could take that last thought back, but not really. As long as he'd been with Yuna, she had never initiated oral sex. Nor had he, but it wasn't because he was some prude or something. It was more that he wasn't going to do it unless she did. Call it both sharing the best each had to give the other. And if he could manage it somehow, simultaneously. He watched Rikku lick her lips and briefly wondered if her mouth had ever serviced Gippal. He had to stop it, but hell, he was horny.

Martha brought their yogurt. "Let me know if you guys need anything else."

"Don't count on it," Rikku assured her.

As soon as the waitress was out of sight, Tidus sighed. "Rikku, I don't need a guard dog. I'm in love with your cousin, so you don't have to worry."

"I'm not worried. I can't help being protective of Yuna."

"Try your yogurt, its good."

Encouraged, Rikku took a big bite. Almost immediately, she gagged. "It's terrible."

Tidus shrugged. Having spent many nights on a Luca Goers travel bus, he was used to eating food that wasn't particularly delicious. Vending machines had provided many on the go meals, and there were places in Spira that considered spider stew a delicacy.

"Do you think Gippal's cheating on me?" Rikku asked suddenly, avoiding his eyes and staring into her yogurt bowl.

"Yeah," Tidus replied without hesitation.

"What?" Rikku demanded angrily.

Tidus shrugged. "Yeah. Why else do you think you haven't heard from him? He wants you to think he doesn't care for whatever reason, so do yourself a favor, and start acting like you _don't _care."

"But I do care! I love Gippal more than I've ever loved any boy!"

Tidus licked his spoon thoughtfully. "Have you ever tried to love another boy?"

Rikku blinked rapidly. How ridiculous. Who could measure up to Gippal? Gippal, the insanely spontaneous boy who had first gotten her attention by lifting up her skirt at cheerleading practice in the eighth grade? Of course, she'd been furious and embarrassed at the time. _Your daddy told me to make sure you were wearing panties, _he'd told her. She had slapped him and told him to get lost. Of course, he hadn't. They had been through it all. Well, at least as much as any young couple. And now time was threatening to tear them apart again.

"Well, I…there just hasn't been anyone special."

"Maybe because you haven't been dating. I think you should go out every weekend. Starting tonight."

"With who? You?"

"You wish. Nah. Just ask somebody out. What about that guy sitting alone by the window?"

"He'd never go out with me like this."

"Don't be ridiculous, Rikku. You're cute and you know it."

Spurred by his compliment, she turned her full attention to the boy by the window. Physically, he wasn't her type. But, there was definitely potential there. Did she know him? He seemed familiar. Her eyes bulged. Was that Teenan? Her cousin Yuna's ex?

"Isn't that Teenan?"

Tidus gave him a better look and then shrugged. "I guess you're right. But, he's not getting Yuna back, so why not?"

"It's creepy, that's why. Pick somebody else."

"Okay. What about one of the Abes?"

Rikku shuddered. No offense to Tidus, but his teammates weren't exactly contenders for the young hotties catalog in Zanarkand. Sure, Datto and Letty were okay. And of course, team captain Baralai was more than okay, but off limits. And she supposed Wakka was cute in his own way, but no way to Keepa, Jassu, and Botta. Keepa was a slob, Jassu had perpetual bad breath, and Botta was a player.

"Which one?"

"Everybody's single right now. Take your pick."

"Call Datto or Letty. Never mind. I heard Letty thinks a girl's going to bed with him on the first date."

"I'll call Datto," Tidus said quickly, knowing that was no rumor concerning Letty.

* * *

Darcy unlocked the door to the Mika house. For the millionth time, she wondered why she was still hanging around Zanarkand. She'd blown her one chance of getting back with Tidus, and now her boyfriend, Chappu, was more interested in running a stupid restaurant than her. She didn't know which one of them was the biggest idiot at the moment. She had to get her acting career going but she didn't know how. She didn't have any connections. She certainly didn't want to waste her precious youth by attending college. And the Mika house was beginning to bore her. And its residents.

She'd been thrilled when Yuna had decided to attend the internship at Bevelle. She'd been sick on the stomach every day from watching her and Tidus act like they couldn't get enough of each other. They were always touching, kissing, or smiling at each other. Oh, how she missed him! She wished that she could get over him, and considered seeing if there was a spell that could erase her memory. But, then, memories were all she had now. He had been her first boyfriend, her first kiss, her very first lover. She couldn't just shelve what she felt for him, and probably always would.

Not that Chappu wasn't a good boyfriend. He was, just incredibly stupid. She tried to get him to find out more about his uncle Auron's investments, but he kept putting it off, saying he didn't want to be nosy. How stupid. How else would you get anywhere in Spira without being nosy? She was willing to bet that Auron had investments all around Zanarkand, and not just in that restaurant. She needed gil. Someone had to fund her acting career until she became a big star. What about her father? Did she really believe a man that age had worked all of his life, and had absolutely nothing to show for it? She had to start kissing his ass, and quick. He wasn't getting any younger, and she was the only person he could leave his gil to, if he had any.

She was going to have to put her acting chops to the test, and put on the performance of being the dutiful daughter. That man could have a fortune sitting someplace. Yes, that's what she would do. She had heard he had fallen and broken his hip. Surely now would be the time that a father needed his daughter to help care for him. She frowned slightly. Would she have to change a bedpan? Gross. Would she have to bathe him? She shuddered, honestly not knowing what her mother had ever seen in the man. Even in his younger pictures, she hadn't seen anything more than some guy that you had sympathy sex with. Maybe her mother had known that he had gil. Yes, that was it. He did have gil, and she had to get her hands on it.

She decided to go pay him a visit right now. If he needed her, she could come back and pack a few things. Tidus' car pulled along the sidewalk. Rikku hopped out and started up the walkway. Darcy squinted. Sure, it was no secret that Tidus was helping Rikku get back in shape. She smiled ironically as she contemplated exactly _how he_ was accomplishing this. It was no secret to her that the boy could not go without sex. She could probably have him herself if she didn't have her mind on more important things. Rikku gave her a brief hi and went into the house. She watched Tidus get out of the car.

"Hey, Ti, can I ask you a favor?" she asked, hurriedly walking down the steps before he reached them.

"What?"

"I need a ride to central Zanarkand. I want to go check up on my father since he broke his hip."

Tidus didn't necessarily mind the drive. He was about to go that way to head that way to see Jecht, anyway. "Okay, but I need to shower first."

"Sure. Go ahead," she said, resisting her urge to ask if he needed someone to scrub his back. That would probably guarantee that he took her nowhere.

She decided to wait on the porch for him. She sat in the swing. It was a beautiful day. She leaned and closed her eyes. She would have it all soon. Fifteen minutes later, Tidus emerged, fresh from his shower, his hair still slightly damp. She followed him down to his car and hopped in. She was silent along the way, until she decided to pose a question to him. He'd always seemed to be able to find easy solutions.

"How would you go about getting into movies if you wanted to be an actor?" she asked him.

"Well, I suppose the first step would be to start small, to see if you're cut out for it."

"How?"

"Well, the Little Zanarkand Theater is going to be performing _Some Sandstorm is Coming_, and they're looking for actors right now."

"How do you know that?" she asked vaguely. That wasn't just any silly little play! It was based off of a bestselling novel by Lord Zion. And the leading lady, Tempura, was a role she had been born to play!

"I know a lot of things, but I actually read it in the paper. I was looking for an article about the blitzball lockout. Why? Are you interested?"

Her eyes narrowed. Was that mocking she heard in his tone? It would be. If it had been Yuna declaring an interest in the play, he would have sold her a pot of bullshit telling her she had the part won.

"As a matter of fact, I am. I'm going to be an actress," she declared.

He smirked. "Are they looking for more porn stars?"

Despite the way their relationship had ended, he knew the girl was quite educated in the bedroom. It had been the main reason he had hooked up with her. He hadn't been looking for a girlfriend, but his fellow blitz team members wouldn't stop bragging about the oral sex this girl put out. And like a cat, he had to satisfy his curiosity. In the end, it hadn't been worth it. She had been more trouble than she was worth.

She decided to ignore him. What did he know? She could be a fabulous actress, and she was about to prove it. He pulled into her father's driveway. She noticed an unfamiliar car parked there.

"Thanks, Ti," she said, getting out and slamming the door to let him know she hadn't appreciated his sarcasm. He backed out of the driveway and headed toward the freeway again.

She walked up the walkway and tried the doorknob. It was locked as it should be. Her father lived in one of the worst sections of the city. If you didn't lock your door, you could expect to find uninvited company soon enough. She knocked, wishing she hadn't given him back the key he'd given her.

The door swung open and she stared directly at a woman she didn't recognize.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quickly.

"My name is Addie James, and I'm a home healthcare specialist caring for Mr. Crane. Is he a relative of yours?"

"Sure. He's my father," Darcy said, still very suspicious. "Well, I'm here to help now, so you can leave."

"Not so fast, Darcy," she heard and watched her father wheel himself into the living room.

"What's the problem? There's no need to waste Mrs. James' time when I'm more than capable of helping."

"Since when?" Howard couldn't help demanding. He was suspicious. Even when the doctor had phoned his daughter to inform her of his condition, she hadn't even come to the hospital.

"Just give me a try. I can take care of you."

"I don't think so. Do you have any training as a nurse? At least Mrs. James is a certified nurse's assistant. Besides, she's doing a wonderful job. Thank you, but no thanks."

Darcy couldn't believe what she was hearing. How dare he! Howard Crane owed her more than he could ever pay for with his pathetic existence! He'd better had put her in his will, or she'd see to it that his remains were dumped in the Zanarkand wastelands where they belonged. She had to get rid of Addie. Didn't she have something else to do with her summer besides trying to take care of an old man? Who was she kidding? This woman wasn't likely to have her nights filled with dates.

"I really want to help around here. I'm only working part time at the bank, so I have plenty of time," Darcy tried again.

Howard stared at her. What did she want? Ever since he had confirmed it with his own eyes and ears, she was her mother, reincarnated. Absolutely no good. Now, she wanted to hang around his house for whatever reason. Well, whatever she was up to, it wasn't going to work.

"Mr. Crane, maybe you should let Darcy help out," Addie offered graciously.

Howard sighed. Addie was a very intelligent young woman who appeared to have things going for her. Like her mother, she was independent, hard working, and goal oriented. Exactly how he had hoped Darcy would turn out, but she hadn't.

"I have my own reasons for wanting professional care," he stated, deciding to leave it at that.

There was no way in the farplane he was going to eat anything Darcy prepared. Knowing her, she would probably try to poison him, thinking he had some big fortune waiting when he died. He almost laughed. The joke was going to be on her. He had left instructions with a good pal that explicitly left nothing for Darcy, not even this small home he had acquired. If she wanted things out of life, she was going to do something her mother had never done and actually work for it. With his declining health, there wouldn't be much gil left, anyway. Nonetheless, he wanted nothing to do with Darcy and wondered how she had managed to land a job at a bank. She'd be fired soon enough and then maybe she could convince some young man to marry her.

**End of Ch. 2. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: ****The Rich Boy's Mother**

Tidus pulled alongside the curb of his father's home in North Zanarkand. Almost immediately, he was alarmed. Jecht was storming out of the front door, carrying armfuls of clothing. He headed for Zalora's car, which already had the passenger's door wide open. He tossed the clothes inside and turned to head back inside. Tidus immediately jumped out of his car.

"Dad, what are you doing?" he asked, hurrying across the lawn toward an enraged Jecht.

Jecht, immediately startled by the appearance of his son, stopped in his tracks. "She's outta here," he stated flatly.

"What?"

"That stepmother of yours. She's outta here. She's been messing around. You know I don't have to put up with that from any woman. She'll realize how good she had it when she's gone."

"Zalora would never cheat on you, Dad," Tidus said reassuringly, though even he had a difficult time believing it.

"There's somebody else. I found naked pictures of the guy in her sewing drawer."

"What did she say?"

"What could she say? It was her drawer and they sure as hell weren't my pictures. I don't need it. She's gone."

"Where is she?"

"She took off running down the street when I confronted her. I guess I let my temper get out of control. When she gets back, she'll find her things in her car and she can get lost," Jecht said, continuing to the house and heading inside.

Tidus stood on the grass, trying to digest all of this information. How could Zalora be so stupid? Even if she did have a lover, she should never have kept any mementos of the affair. And he knew his father. Jecht would never in a million years forgive her. He walked inside of the house and was shocked. Jecht hadn't been kidding about his temper. He had damn near destroyed the place in his anger. He was coming down the stairs with more clothing.

"Go up and grab something. Help me get her out of here," he demanded Tidus.

Tidus, knowing there was no need to try to talk to his father when he was like this, went upstairs. There was even more destruction, as he looked at torn pictures from the walls, vases broken, potted plants turned over. He went into his father's bedroom and picked up some of Zalora's clothing that Jecht had thrown on the floor. Under the corner of the bed, he saw what looked like one of the incriminating photos. Intrigued, though not really wanting to see another man's junk, he picked it up. His eyes bulged.

If he didn't know any better, he would swear to Yevon that the naked body he was staring at was his. The man's headshot was missing, but he knew that tanned body from anywhere. When had Zalora had an opportunity to photo him naked? Thank Yevon Jecht hadn't seen him all natural since he was twelve years old. He put the photo in his pocket, and headed out before Jecht figured it out.

"And you should see this guy. All bones. I never knew she was into scrawny men," Jecht complained on his way back up the stairs.

Tidus bit back a reply, and took the clothes outside. He almost collided with Zalora.

"Where's Jecht?" she asked immediately.

"How could you be stupid? He's cleaning your shit out of the house. What did you think he was gonna do?"

"I meant to get rid of the photos. I swear, but I…"

"It looks like me. Is it me?"

When she didn't answer, he knew it was true. He shook his head and continued to the car.

* * *

Lulu looked around the crowded wait area and sighed. Why was she even here? Surely, she had enough to do this summer to fill her time. Actually, she didn't. For once, she found her summer free this year. The Little Zanarkand Theater was putting on a production of _Some Sandstorm is Coming_ and she had done a successful job of portraying Tempura, the heroine, in her drama class the last semester of college. It was not an easy role. One had to display the right amount of emotion. The wrong person could easily over do it. She still wasn't sure why she had let Rikku talk her into trying out. _There's no one else that can play that role, Lulu. You are Tempura. End of it. _Well, her drama professor had certainly been impressed and so there had been an article written up in the Zanarkand Herald about it as well. Plus, besides helping out at the bakery, she had a lot of time on her hands. She didn't feel like traveling, and how would it look to Wakka, especially after she had turned down his offer to go to Besaid with him? She didn't want to be in the way of his project. She could tell that he was really excited about it. To her, it seemed like Auron was trying to get rid of him for some unknown reason.

"I'm really nervous. I hope I can turn in a good performance," the girl next to Lulu declared.

"What role are you trying out for?" Lulu asked politely.

"Tempura," the girl replied, and Lulu tried not to laugh out loud. Was she kidding? Didn't this girl understand that Tempura is supposed to be a pure beauty before she had married the prince? This girl was dressed as though she were auditioning for a rock video. Lulu herself wore minimal makeup and had her luxurious dark hair bound back into a bun, thinking it portrayed the look of a poor peasant girl well enough.

"I heard that Zelton Flannigan was already slated for the role of the prince. He's so famous. I'll die if I get the chance to kiss him," the girl gushed.

On this, Lulu had to agree. Many a girl's heart fluttered at the mention of the young local actor. He was physical perfection, with this longish deep blue-black hair, and piercing green eyes inherited from his Al Bhed mother. There was very little known about his biological father, though rumors ran rampant. He was twenty-five years old and had been in over twenty theater productions. It didn't appear as though he had any big-screen aspirations, for it was also rumored that he had turned down several movie offers. His face was free of facial hair, but that didn't give him a lesser masculine appeal. Strong cheekbones and white even teeth made up for it. It was also rumored that his kisses were lethal; hot and passionate enough to make a woman fall head over heels in love with him if she wasn't already.

Lulu brushed aside such foolishness. She was in a relationship with her longtime boyfriend Wakka. Besides, they were monogamous. Weren't they? The topic had never come up. There had never been a reason for it to. She frowned slightly, wondering if she should find out the direct specifics of their relationship. But why? She would never cheat on Wakka, and she was almost as certain that he would be faithful as well. But if she were to be honest with herself, could she really see herself marrying someone like Wakka? Flighty, super compulsive and no real desire to have a career. And once he'd been so passionate about teaching blitzball. All of that went downhill once Auron got him pumped up to be a restaurant owner. And there was nothing wrong with that. After all, her own mother ran a successful bakery. The best in Zanarkand.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the girl on stage giving her audition. It was obvious that she was portraying Tempura; her dark hair was bound up, ballerina style. Her voice was soft, yet strong where it needed to be, as she promised her dying mother that she would be well taken care of. Lulu frowned slightly: the girl had been good. Very good. And for a second, she felt as though she might be competition for her, who had studied the play and even read the novel. Her scarlet eyes grew wide as she recognized the girl emerging from the stage. Was that Darcy? Darcy? Her housemate Darcy? And yet it was, wearing a simple beige cloth dress, and very little, if any at all, makeup. Her dark eyes met Lulu's. She gave her a superior smirk and strode over.

"Hi, Lulu. What are you doing here?" she asked in her customary abrasive tone.

"I'm auditioning. I didn't know you knew this play."

"I don't. Actually, I only read what I needed to rehearse for my audition. I guess I'll read the whole thing once I'm chosen to play Tempura."

Lulu couldn't help scoffing openly. "Why would they choose you?"

"You saw my performance. I know it was good."

"It was…okay, but just because you faked it today doesn't mean that you can deliver the powerhouse scenes. And quite frankly, Tempura possesses qualities that you just don't have."

"You're not a virgin, either. Besides, you don't really have her look. Sure, you have the dark hair, but your breasts are over the top."

Lulu would have replied, but she didn't want to become agitated before she was to give her performance. She was next, after all. And she would land the role of Tempura, and be held and kissed by Zelton. Not that she needed the latter. Okay, so maybe she did. It had been three long weeks since Wakka had left. She wished that Zelton was already in Zanarkand so that she could audition opposite him, but he was in Lake Macalania, wrapping up another play. He would be in Zanarkand within the week.

She held her breath when her name was called and then made her way to the stage. Almost immediately, the transformation began. As soon as she began to speak, she became Tempura all over again. The character was in her bones. She was born to portray this woman. And when it was over, even some of the other competitors clapped. She thanked everyone and left the stage. Surprisingly, Darcy was still around. And she didn't look happy. Well, too bad.

* * *

Datto Jones pulled slowly into the driveway of the Zaon Towers apartments where his date was waiting. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing here. Well, partly as a favor to his friend Tidus, not that he needed much persuading. Any boy in Zanarkand would be thrilled to go out on a date with Rikku Highfield. The only problem was that everyone also knew that she was bound to Gippal. If he were being honest with himself, he would admit that he needed a date. He'd broken up with his girlfriend Calli three months ago, and although he'd been out a few times, there hadn't been anyone special since. He checked his reflection in the overhead mirror. Suddenly, he wondered what Tidus had told Rikku to get her to go out with him. What if she were disappointed? He had debated bringing flowers, but Tidus had told him it was too early for that sort of stuff. After confirming that his breath was acceptable, he got out of the car and headed up the cobble walkway. The door swung open on the second by a tall, lanky blond guy.

Datto hesitated for a second. "Is Rikku home?" he finally asked.

"Yah," the guy answered, but made no move to either get Rikku or let him in.

"I'm her date. Datto."

"I said yah."

"Brother, get out of the way," Rikku said, elbowing the guy aside and smoothing her black skirt.

They stared at each other. She was actually pleasantly surprised at how nice Datto looked tonight. He thought she looked really pretty in her short sleeved red shirt, with ruffles down its bodice. Her honey blonde hair was pulled back perfectly into a bouncy ponytail. She grabbed her small black handbag and closed the door, barely missing Brother's nose.

"Hi. Ready to go?" Datto asked.

Rikku frowned slightly. No compliments. That was probably a good indication that tonight's date wasn't going to be a sequel. She wondered briefly it had been Tidus if he would have given her a compliment. She decided that he would. And then she was wondering why on Spira she was thinking of her cousin's boyfriend.

"Thanks," she replied and followed Datto to his car.

As expected of any blitzball player, he had a nice sports car. It was electric blue, with a black diagonal stripe across it. He hopped behind the wheel and unlocked the door for her. She climbed in and buckled her seat belt. She looked up at her townhouse. She could see someone peeking out of the living room window. She sighed deeply. She wished her Dad wouldn't worry about her so much. Hadn't she assured him that she was an adult now and could handle herself?

Datto took the busy freeway and headed toward the Zanarkand Multiplex Theater. They had both agreed that a movie would be best. At least she had. For the second time, she realized that she didn't know Datto very well. This was amazing since they'd attended the exact same schools since kindergarten. He suddenly smacked his stereo with his right palm. She jumped.

"Sorry, it's got a few bugs in it. I've been meaning to get it fixed," he explained, navigating smoothly across five lanes of traffic.

"Maybe I can take a look at it. I'm very good at these things," she said proudly.

"Really? That'd be cool," he said, realizing there was more to Rikku than met the eye. He'd have never guessed in a million Spiran years that the pretty blonde girl in his car knew about electronics. He was more than impressed. She had obviously come a really long way from the girl that used to stuff her bra in high school. Though he had never found out if that were just a malicious rumor.

They arrived at the crowded movie theater. This was no surprise. It was Friday night after all. They walked together slowly toward the entrance. Rikku groaned silently when she spotted Blappa, one of Gippal's former blitzball teammates. Luckily, he was too busy showing off for a trio of girls to notice her. She got into the line with Datto. He bought the tickets.

"Want something to eat or drink?" he asked, nodding toward the many concession stands.

"Nope. I'm on a diet," she explained, wondering why she had actually admitted that to a boy!

He smiled. "You're kidding."

"No. I still have about ten more pounds to go, actually. But, if you want something, let's go."

"No. I'm okay," he decided, thinking it best not to tempt her with the popcorn and soda. It was no secret that Zanarkand had the best popcorn in all of Spira. No one could resist it. Not even old people with no teeth. They enjoyed sucking on it to relish the delicious flavor. He led the way to their mutual movie of choice, a comedy, _Guess Who's Coming to Spira. _

* * *

"Hey, Wakka, can we take a break?" called one of the workers named Ben.

"Sure, ya," he agreed.

As expected, the weather in Besaid was scorching hot. But, he was pleased with the workers progress. The restaurant was almost complete. Of course, even after completion, he would have to return. In fact, he was going to return to stay. He hadn't exactly told Lulu any of this yet. But, it was his plan. After all, he was a restaurant owner now, so what did he need to return to Zanarkand for? He would visit Auron twice a month to give a report and to check on his health, and hoped he could see Lulu then as well. Somehow, though, he knew her well enough to know she wasn't going to go for the long distance relationship thing, no matter how much she cared for him. Lulu needed a man by her side. And then was Chappu, who he still didn't know very well, and didn't trust completely as Auron did for some strange reason. Auron was suspicious of everyone, even their mailman.

He had no real desire to finish college, anyway. That was Lulu's deal. He wanted to run the restaurant. Lulu hadn't completely understood why but for the first time in his life, he was solely responsible for something being a success. And he would succeed. Besaid was a small island, but more importantly, it was a tourist attraction. People came from all over Spira to relax on its beach and find its rare artifacts. Lulu was due for a visit the coming weekend, and he was planning to tell her that he was moving to Besaid. He had already discussed it with Auron and Chappu, who had encouraged him.

But, could he really afford to lose Lulu? After all, it was only a restaurant. Sure, some would argue that Lulu was only a girl, but she was different. Very special. Her high level of intellect very rare. Perhaps this was one of the reasons he'd waited so long to tell her. He knew that she would think he was stupid to risk his future on the success of a restaurant. But, maybe she would understand that Auron had done the same and succeeded. Yeah, he wasn't living in a mansion, didn't have the most expensive wardrobe in Zanarkand, and didn't even drive a fancy car, but he did have the best restaurant in the city. There were no creditors knocking at his door. And that's all Wakka wanted. A simple existence.

What about blitzball? Could he give that up, too? Definitely not. Maybe he could talk Coach Luzzu into letting him be part-time. He was one of the only players in Spira that was actually glad the league was having difficulty with financial agreements right now. He was busy.

"Hey, I remember you. Aren't you Massac and Abilene's boy? Wakka?" an elderly man asked as he hobbled over to Wakka's position by the palm tree.

Wakka nodded absently, wondering who the hell he was. He had absolutely no memory of him. Besaid was known for having some the oldest people still wandering its beaches.

"Thought so. So, you the one in charge of bringing this unnecessary restaurant here?"

"The only reason you think it's unnecessary is cause none of the gil is going in your pocket."

"Still got that smart mouth, I see. Nah. I got plenty. We don't need more tourists here. We have enough coming here in the summer and they enjoy the food stands."

"Well, why not get out of the hot sun and enjoy your food in a cool restaurant for once?"

"I suppose you talking about that fancy air conditioning. I've heard about that in that technology city, Zanarkand or in Bevelle. It's a waste of electricity. We've been just fine here without it."

"You've been sleeping here without it. It's time Besaid came into the new century. I'm going to be the owner of this restaurant and it'll be the best."

"Shouldn't you be in school, boy? Certainly an important city like Zanarkand promotes education. You're too young to run a restaurant."

"I'm twenty, and I am in school. I'm just going to take a year off for the restaurant," he said, though the words seemed like lies, even to him.

"You got a girlfriend?"

"That's right. She's in Zanarkand. Why?"

"She won't be going for a bullshit joyride like this. If she's smart, and I doubt it cause of her taste in men, she'll jump ship before it sinks."

"She's the smartest girl at the college, and I'm the best thing that's ever happened to her. We might even be married one day."

"Doubt it. You're here. She's in Zanarkand. Summer's about to be in session. Wait til you see the beauties that walk this beach."

"You think I've never seen a woman in a bikini before? Go away, I'm busy."

* * *

"Jecht Stone. Is that you?" a voice blurted with laughter.

Jecht turned to nod at the bartender. He hadn't frequented this bar, or any bar, since he'd arrived in Zanarkand, almost three years ago. But, when he had, it was always Friday night right after work. He hadn't just gotten off of work, but hell, he had urges. And right now, he was looking for some company for the night. And he wasn't paying for it. Only losers paid for it.

It had been three weeks since he'd tossed Zalora out of his house and his life. He had been hearing rumors about her even before they'd left Luca. He'd ignored them, insisting to the gossip mongers there was no way, a woman, _especially _his wife, would cheat when she had him to devour on the menu every night. He'd found some photos before they'd left Luca of what appeared to be the naked body of another man. He and Zalora had it out, and she promised she would never do it again. But…she had. And he wasn't in a forgiving mood.

"Ah, Jecht. It's nice to see you again," a soft well spoken voice said.

He turned to his left. Sitting at the end of the bar was Yuna's father. Braska. What in Spira was he doing here? From the looks of it, nursing a drink on the rocks. Hadn't Tidus told him that he was a recovering alcoholic? Not recovering, after all. He took a seat next to him.

"Hey. What are you doing in central Zanarkand? Isn't this where the lowlifes of the city hang out?"

Braska chuckled. "This is where no one would ever think to look for me."

"Who ya hiding from? I thought you weren't married."

"No. Widowed. But you are, right?"

"Not for long. I'm putting myself back on the market. So, tell me. What's the dating field like here in Zanarkand?" he asked, signaling to the bartender to bring him a beer.

"Honestly, I wouldn't know. Since my wife died, I've only been on a handful. I just recently ended a relationship with my housekeeper."

"Don't you know the rules, Braska? You can sleep with the help, but you don't get that involved with them."

"I wouldn't know. I've never had a housekeeper. Ain't that what a wife's for?"

"I suppose. I'm in no hurry to get remarried."

"I guess not…" Jecht trailed off as his eyes found a very familiar woman with long strawberry blonde hair sitting in a corner booth with two men. His dark eyes glowered. She had a lot of damn nerve. She was out, partying, after she'd destroyed the past decade of his life. And what was worse was that he recognized the men as two of his workers. He took a healthy drink from his mug and carried it with him to the corner booth. She saw him before he reached the booth, and actually tried to look more casual.

_Too late. Already seen you acting like a slut. _

"Hi, Jecht," Zalora greeted him nervously.

She knew immediately that he was going to get the wrong impression. She'd only came out tonight because she was tired of being alone in the tiny apartment she'd found here in central Zanarkand. She had taken a job working at the local supermarket as a cashier.

"Clemons. Baker. What are you doing here with my wife?" Jecht asked the men, ignoring Zalora.

Baker coughed. "Just having a drink, Jecht. Nothing else."

"It don't matter if it is. She's about to be a free agent. Only thing, I don't want to hear nothing about what happens tonight."

"Nothing's going to happen, Jecht. I don't want to be a free agent. If you'll just listen…" Zalora pleaded.

"I'm done listening. And I'm done talking. I came here to drink," Jecht replied, turning to find another even darker corner to relax in.

As far as he was concerned, Baker and Clemons could take turns with Zalora tonight if that's what they wanted. He was looking for company himself. His bed was getting cold. As he met the interested stare of a platinum blonde at the counter, he knew he had found it.

* * *

"What exactly do you know about this young lady that you're spending so much time with? You're even living with her," Primrose Griffin asked her only son.

She placed her napkin in her lap and stared at him expectantly. He better have a very good explanation for that trashy girl she'd found in his penthouse apartment last week. It was one thing to find someone to relieve yourself, but she knew that girl was staying there. How inappropriate.

Baralai played with his silverware absently. He was in no mood for his mother today. He was slightly hung over. It had been a long night. He had gone out with a few Abes. It hadn't come as any surprise to find Paine gone when he returned this morning. They'd been arguing all week. And the message from his mother demanding he meet her for lunch had been the nail in the coffin.

"Don't you have any decency?" she hissed conspiratorially. "When your father has his flings, he does it with taste, at least. Expensive out of the city hotels."

"I'm not my father. And I'm not having a fling. I'm…" he trailed off.

What _was_ he doing? He was in no position to admit that he was in a relationship with Paine. He wasn't even sure if that was true anymore. He hadn't spoken to her.

"Well, what do you call it? Are you and that girl in a relationship?" his mother asked, the corners of her mouth dipping disdainfully.

"No, Mother. We're just fucking," he said, reaching for his water glass.

She looked around quickly. "Don't be vulgar. It's disrespectful. I demand to know what's going on then."

"I just told you. It's just a fling," he added dryly.

She nodded grimly. "End it quickly. I won't have it. I see gold digger all over that girl. She's looking at you with money in her eyes. The family fortune is at stake."

"Paine's not a fortune hunter," he replied, almost laughing.

Was his mother getting senile with age? Paine was hardly interested in gil at all. Besides, she had her own. It wasn't a vast fortune, but it was apparently enough to keep her from ever asking him for any. Or was it just stubborn pride? He smirked. She had that in spades.

"I mean it, Baralai. You have a way of behaving naïve when it comes to women, and…"

"I told you, she's after my dick," he replied staunchly.

She slapped him hard. "Watch your tongue! I'm your mother, dammit!"

He rubbed his cheek lightly. It certainly wasn't the first time his mother had struck him. And she was usually the most violent when his father was out of the city on one of his "business" trips. He knew she saw his father in him. From his physical appearance, to the way he behaved with women. Well, it was too damn bad. Women like his mother were a dying breed. The older they became, the more useless they were.

The waiter brought their entrees'.

"I don't want to discuss Paine," he said, reaching for his fork.

"Well, I do. Who are her parents? Where does she live? Does she attend the university?"

He thought about her questions. "She lives on a farm and she's taking a break from college."

"Obviously, you need to watch your father more closely when he's choosing his women. On a farm? Why? Are her parents poor?"

Baralai continued to dig into his seafood salad. He thought for a moment. Her questions actually intrigued him. WHO were Paine's parents? Or rather, who had they BEEN? She had told him very brief information pertaining to them. The only thing he knew for certain was that they had disappeared seven years ago in the Mt. Gagazet area. What had the circumstances been surrounding their disappearance again? He frowned as he chewed.

"I don't know anything about her parents," he admitted.

"Well, that's a good enough reason to cut her loose. Now, if you are interested in building a relationship, I believe the mayor's daughter is single, and…"

"You'd have me date a Guado?"

"At least I know what her parents do. And what's wrong with it? She's only half Guado."

"I'm not attracted to them, for one thing."

"I thought you were attracted to anything that would lie in your bed."

He gave her a tight smile and decided not to answer immediately. "Where is Father? Is he visiting that leggy redhead this weekend? I bet she's fantastic in bed."

Primrose pursued her lips together. "He might be. You know he likes variety."

"Uh, uh. Nothing over forty anymore."

"I don't know why you insist on trying to get under my skin. As far as your father's concerned, it won't work. He's been having affairs for over twenty years now. But I'm determined that you don't follow the same path. That's why I'm encouraging you to do all the dating that you want now. I don't want you to make some poor wife suffer."

"You've been suffering? You live in an expansive mansion, have a personally designed wardrobe, and can go anywhere in Spira that you like. Buy anything you like. I fail to see your pain."

"It is very painful for a husband to be insensitive enough to allow his wife to learn about his affairs."

Baralai shrugged. "You could have left him. But you won't. And neither will my wife. And do you know why you stay? Because you enjoy the benefits of the Griffin fortune."

Primrose nodded slowly. "I did marry your father for his gil. That's no big secret. But, I'm hoping it'll be different for you."

"It will be if you allow me to choose my own wife. The so-called sophisticated young women you know all come from wealthy families and will expect to continue to lead that lifestyle. Just like you did."

"Then you intend to marry this Paine person?"

"No. I don't intend to marry anyone. Unlike my father, I intend on enjoying life. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have someplace to be."

"Not until you finish your lunch. You have an appointment?"

"Yes," he said, hoping she would leave it at that. He intended to drive directly to Paine's farm to find out what her problem was now. She hadn't even left a note. Just left in the middle of the night like an unpaid hooker. He wasn't going to ask her back to the penthouse. She had decided to leave, and he was going to respect that, but he was going to get to the bottom of everything.

**End of Ch. 3. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: ****Stepmother's Confession**

Tidus stood at the counter in the Mika house's kitchen making a peanut butter sandwich. He stared out the window idly as the dark overhead clouds came closer. It was no doubt going to rain today. Great. He was waiting on Rikku to wake so he could ask her if she'd heard from Yuna. He hadn't spoken to her in three days. Darcy sauntered into the kitchen. She gave him a smug smile.

"Guess who landed the role of Tempura in _A Sandstorm is Coming_? That's right. Me. I beat out a hundred girls for the role," she bragged.

Tidus continued fixing his sandwich, careful to spread it evenly. "There were only twenty girls that were at the audition," he corrected. Had she forgotten that he read the newspaper?

"It doesn't matter. I was better than all of them. They picked me. I told you I was going to be an actress!"

"That's good, Darcy," he said, preoccupied with the completion of his sandwich.

She stared at him. Why couldn't he be genuinely happy for her? Hadn't she apologized for all of the things she'd done in Zanarkand? It seemed like he resented her success. Maybe he was jealous. After all, what had Yuna ever done? She was supposed to be some sort of artist but no one important had seen any of her work, so what was the point?

"Why can't you pretend to be happy for me?" she couldn't help asking as she walked over to the coffee pot.

"Are you serious?"

She poured her cup and took a sip of the dark liquid as she waited for him to continue. He turned to face her and she noticed a small smudge of peanut butter on his cheek. She longed to wipe it off for him. With her tongue. She didn't understand why she still craved this boy's touch so strongly. She'd had other lovers. But none had even come close to bringing her to the intense heights of ecstasy that he had.

"All of the shit you've pulled since you showed up here. And if you want the truth, I really don't understand why you're still here. Your life is in Luca."

"I don't have a life there anymore. Have any of my so-called friends kept in contact with me? So now I'm trying to build a life here. What's the problem? I'm not bothering you, am I?"

He gave her a pointed stare. "You live in my house. Why don't you move out? I'm sure you and Chappu can find a place."

"Why don't you and Yuna move?"

"You don't want a vote on this issue. You'll lose."

"It doesn't have to come down to that. As long as everyone continues to mind their own business, things should be fine."

Tidus ignored her and tried to call Yuna again. Once again, her phone went directly to voice mail. He hung up and sighed impatiently as Rikku groggily shuffled into the kitchen. He was slightly amused by her Snoopy pajamas.

"Have you heard from Yuna?" he asked.

She regarded him hazily. Didn't anyone say good morning anymore? And then she was sorry for the thought. Gippal had been the only housemate to greet everyone every single morning with an enthusiastic "Good morning!" And the housemates had hated it.

She grabbed a pitcher of orange juice from the girl's fridge. "No. Why? What's up?"

"I haven't heard from her in a few days, that's all."

Darcy's ears perked up as she pretended to be busy slicing a grapefruit open. He hadn't heard from Yuna in a few days. Maybe Miss Perfect Yuna had already found herself a Bevelle boyfriend. She'd visited the city a few times before, and there didn't seem to be a shortage of attractive young men. It would serve him right. He already thought he was Yevon's gift to girls, anyway.

Rikku shrugged. "Maybe she's just busy. You do realize that Bevelle Memorial is one of the most important hospitals in Spira. Why, even people here in Zanarkand go there for their specialties. I saw a specialist there once."

Darcy stared at her. No doubt the specialist she'd seen had been a neurologist. She hadn't ever come across anyone as flaky as this girl before.

"I guess I'm worrying over nothing then," Tidus concluded.

Rikku nodded. "Yep. But if you're really concerned, and if we don't hear from her by the weekend, you can always fly out to Bevelle to check on her."

"I'll do that if I don't hear from her by Friday."

Darcy shook her head to herself. Two stupid blondes. Obviously Yuna wanted to be left alone.

Chappu strolled into the kitchen.

"Hi, babe," Darcy greeted him.

He grunted and walked to the coffee pot. Another day at the Tornado awaited him. When was Auron going to be well again? Even better, when was Wakka returning? He was young. He didn't want to spend all of his time at that restaurant where it was obvious the staff resented his presence. They didn't know it, but when he took over, he was planning on firing all of them. He suddenly focused on Tidus.

"When are you planning on coming back to work?" he demanded.

Tidus raised an eyebrow at the harsh tone. "When Wakka gets back," he said evenly.

"You might not have a job waiting for you then. It's summer. We're in tourist season. The restaurant is busy. I need you there now."

"Too bad."

"If that's the attitude you're going to take, don't bother coming back."

"You can't fire me."

"I'm going to be in control of that place soon. Wakka's planning to stay in Besaid and run the restaurant there, and Auron's getting ready to retire. So, what's it going to be? Like I said, if you don't show up today, then don't bother coming back."

"Why are you being such a jerk, Chappu? Tidus is a good worker," Rikku defended.

"Stay out of this. When I need a dumb ass answer, I'll ask you a question."

"Don't talk to her like that. I can see that this tiny bit of power has gone to your head. I'll tell you upfront that you can kiss my ass. I quit," Tidus stated.

"Fine by me. Hey, Darcy, fix me some breakfast, will ya? I'm going to go take a shower," Chappu said, leaving the kitchen.

Darcy sat at the counter, unsure of what to do. She had never seen Chappu acting so bossy before. And she wasn't sure she liked it. Sure, she liked a man in control as much as the next woman, but bossiness was something else. Her thoughts were interrupted by Tidus seething around the kitchen.

"Did he just come in here acting like he's running shit? He's not running a damn thing. I'm going to go see Auron today to find out if what he said was true," he complained, vigorously scrubbing the plate he'd used at the sink.

"Listen, Ti. You heard Chappu. He's in control. You better get used to it," Darcy said arrogantly.

"You just shut up and get busy on his breakfast."

"I will because he deserves it," she replied, taking eggs out of the fridge.

Rikku took another bite of her banana and frowned. Asshole types turned her off in the worst way. She had initially thought Chappu was a nice guy. A bit shy, but nice. But his comments to her made it clear that he thought she was stupid.

* * *

"Are you not returning to the penthouse?" Baralai asked with patience.

"I thought I already told you. No," Paine replied, looking over the mail as she sat at the battered kitchen table. If Baralai was as observant as he thought, he should have noticed that she had never forwarded her mail. Or turned off the utilities at the farm. She'd already known she would return.

"Yes, you told me. But why?" he asked calmly.

He was already bored with this discussion. All he had to do was look around the old farm to know what his answer would be if he'd been offered the opportunity to leave this dump and live in a luxurious penthouse suite. It was almost as though Paine enjoyed suffering.

"I can't just sit around the penthouse. I need to stay active. I'm not cut out to be one of those sitting on my ass all day housewives."

"You weren't just sitting on your ass. You do have a job."

"I need more than that."

"Bullshit. This isn't about you at all. This is about me. You're upset that I don't come home some nights."

She continued looking over the mail without answering. So what if she was angry about that? Wasn't that the whole point of living together? To _be_ together? Not all day long, but most certainly at night. And if he weren't sleeping with her, then where was he sleeping? She wasn't about to ask him that, of course. That would give him too much power. The power that came with the knowledge that she cared.

"Want to know where I am when I don't come home?" he asked.

"No. What you do is your business."

He felt stung. She was so callous when it was only too obvious that she cared. He had no problem telling her where he was those nights. If she needed security, he was there to provide it. But, not if she was going to continue with this front. Would it be so wrong to act like a girlfriend should? She _should_ be suspicious. She shouldn't want another woman sexing her man.

"My business? Not _our_ business?"

"You know what I mean, Baralai. I'm not your owner. You can do whatever you want."

"Is that what you want? You want me to do whatever I want?"

"Of course."

"Dammit, Paine! I hate when you do this shit! You left because I didn't come home! Just say it!"

"I was already planning to leave. It wasn't working for me."

"When the fuck were you going to tell me that? In fact, you could have just told me. It was your decision. I would have accepted it."

"I didn't want to seem ungrateful."

"What do you think you seem now?"

"The penthouse suite. The expensive clothes. The maids and all that. That's your life, Baralai. Not mine."

"I told you to go shopping. I didn't tell you where to shop. Was it really the penthouse that was the problem? Or was it living with me? You're not ready for that. Is that it?"

"I guess not."

"You could have just told me instead of sneaking off in the night. It was cowardly. I despise that kind of behavior."

"If I had told you before I left, you would have tried to convince me to stay."

He shook his head. What the hell was her problem? If she hadn't wanted to move in with him, she hadn't had to. It wasn't like he'd forced her. All he'd done was make a suggestion. He already had the suite.

"Well, if you're intent on staying here, that's fine. But, let me ask you. When you walked out of the penthouse, were you walking out on me as well?"

"No," she said quickly.

She wasn't about to spend another summer pretending she didn't want to be with this boy. She did, she just wanted her freedom as well. They weren't even engaged. She got up to get a cold drink from the fridge. She offered him one. He took it.

"Why do you cling to this farm so much? If you don't want to live with me, at least let me set you up in someplace decent."

"This is my family's farm. Our land. One of the few things that I have that belongs to me."

"Paine, you'll own plenty of things before it's over. Besides, do you think your parents would have wanted you to hang out here after your grandmother was gone?" He asked, deliberately baiting her.

He wanted to find out more about her parents.

She shrugged. "I guess they wouldn't have. But, they probably thought they would be here."

"What'd you say happened to them again?"

"I didn't say. It's not something I like telling people."

"Not even me?"

She took a sip of her soda and contemplated. She decided that she could trust him with this information.

"They took a trip to Gagazet. It wasn't their anniversary or anything. My grandmother suggested it, saying they needed a break. They agreed and went. A week later, we heard they'd been lost in an avalanche. No one ever found them."

Baralai took another swallow of his cold soda and thought to himself. Sure, it was no secret that the possibility of avalanches could happen on Gagazet, though he'd never heard of one actually happening. He'd been thinking about her birthday that was coming up soon. Wouldn't it be the ultimate birthday present if he could find out what really happened to her parents? He had two months, which was plenty of time to hire private detectives and talk to the authorities in Gagazet. She obviously needed closure. And maybe then she could finally put this farm and this life behind her. He nodded to himself. He would get to work on it soon.

"What were their names?" he asked her.

"Bora and Oscar."

* * *

"I'm sorry you didn't get the part, Lu. But, you are the understudy, so if anything happens to Darcy, you're in," Wakka said through the phone.

Lulu sighed. "That's not the point, Wakka. It's Darcy. Can you imagine her being able to pull off this role?"

"Yeah, I can. She's been performing since she showed up at the Mika house."

"You know what I mean. Tempura is supposed to be a spitfire, yet delicate and classy. I know her. I have no idea why Darcy was even there. I didn't know she had an interest in plays."

Wakka was at a loss for words. He hadn't called Lulu tonight to discuss some play. He had called more importantly because he was horny. And he'd been hoping to cajole Lulu into some dirty pillow talk. And if things got even dirtier, he'd go to sleep happy tonight despite the various insects that decided he was going to be their dinner tonight. The days in Besaid were long, and the nights even longer in the massive heat. He had been gone from the island so long that he had almost forgotten. No air conditioning. How ridiculous. No wonder a city like Zanarkand had expanded and succeeded.

"I miss you, Lu. I thought you were going to be able to come and visit me."

"Oh, Wakka. I didn't think you would be gone the entire summer. I thought that you were only planning on making sure that the workers had the plans and the restaurant was under way. Do you intend to stay until the construction is complete?"

"Well, yeah. See, Auron wants me to make sure that we don't get hoodwinked or nothing. I gotta make sure that we don't get no lawsuits cause the place started falling apart on people," he said, slapping a mosquito on his cheek.

"It may be another week before I can get away. The rehearsals begin next week, and I need to be present."

Wakka didn't say anything for a long time. If he were being honest with himself, he would go ahead and tell Lulu that he had no intention of returning to Zanarkand on a permanent basis. The small two room hut that he was living in right now might end up being his home. He wasn't about to fight with Lulu tonight though. And he knew that his announcement would bring such a thing about.

"Okay. Listen, you know Darcy and I do, too. She'll bail on this thing before it's halfway done. The role is yours. No sweat. Now, what have you been doing to satisfy yourself physically?"

"I haven't slept with anyone if that's what you mean."

"Me neither. I was thinking…" he paused, realizing how awkward this was.

Lulu smiled to herself. No matter how much Wakka had acted like a player in the past, it was obvious who the aggressor was in this relationship. If anything dirty ever occurred between the sheets, she initiated it. Then, he would take over as if that was going to be his next move.

"Would like some nice dirty pillow talk?" she asked.

"Sounds good," he agreed, even as he noticed a marsh hawk landing on his window sill. "Get outta here," he warned it.

"Excuse me?" Lulu asked.

"Nothing. I'm talking to this bird. Where were we?"

"I'm sitting here in my robe because I just got out of the shower. It was long and steamy, but I enjoyed having the hot spray against my body."

He forgot the bird.

"I wish you had been here to join me. I could have used your strong hands to lather me up in places I couldn't reach," she continued.

"What places?" he asked, realizing that the temperature in the hut was going up rapidly.

"Your favorite places. My long legs…"

"GET LOST!" he suddenly screamed.

"Wakka?"

"Damn stupid bird. Can't you tell I'm trying to have dirty talk?" she heard him shouting in the background.

She was slightly disappointed. But, not about the sex talk. It seemed like every time she tried to talk to Wakka about something serious going on her life, he always changed the subject. It was always about him. He showed absolutely no interest in the things she enjoyed that didn't involve him. She had wanted him to sympathize with her about the loss of her favorite role. Of course, he had never read the play. But, still, he should have at least asked her what it was about.

"Wakka, are you there?" she asked, slightly impatient.

"I'm here, Lu. I had to chase a damn bird out of here. Should we continue or are you tired?"

"I'm a little tired," she admitted.

"Okay. I'll let you off the hook this time. When are you coming for a visit, anyway?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe I can get down the week after next."

"Please try, Lu. This is important to me and I want you here to share it with me."

"I'll really try," she promised, wondering why he didn't find it as important to be there for her.

Stepping off a late airship flight was Talynda Ross. It had taken her a few weeks to convince her parents that this trip was necessary, but she was here. And she hoped it would be worth it. Her parents didn't know it, but she had no intention of returning to Zanarkand until she had gotten what she had come here for: Wakka Morgan. And it had taken her two long years to come across this opportunity, but she wasn't about to pass it up. She had heard from Paine that Wakka was down here in Besaid undergoing the construction of a restaurant. He'd been here for three weeks, plenty of time to need a little female distraction. She had been patient, even a little impatient, as she waited for Wakka's romance with Lulu Oliver to fade. But, it hadn't. Now she was out of patience and knew that a guy like Wakka was bound to be bored with monogamy by now. She asked herself time and time again why she couldn't get over the guy. It wasn't like he'd been an important "first" in her life. The first kiss or first lover she had. She'd even had other lovers and boyfriends in the past two years, but she couldn't fight it. What had begun as a teenage crush was fully developed into what she believed was love now. And the only way to find out if Wakka could ever reciprocate her feelings was to test the waters.

* * *

Zalora Stone sat at the small table in her tiny apartment in west Zanarkand, wondering how things had come this far so swiftly. A week ago, her husband of almost nine years had thrown her out of their home because he thought she'd been having an affair. In fact, she had never cheated on Jecht. He was everything she had ever wanted in a man. But, she had a weak spot for his son as well. She knew that it was very wrong in the eyes of Yevon, but it hadn't been something she could control. Now what was she supposed to do? She certainly didn't have much gil. When she'd met Jecht, she'd been a waitress at Rex's Tavern in Luca. She could always return to Luca, but there wasn't much there to return to. She had expected to be taken care of by Jecht for the rest of her life. She got up to fix another cup of hot tea and wondered if she should try to go to her parent's home.

She frowned slightly, thinking they'd hardly have the room for her, but they wouldn't turn her away. She had seven siblings and four of them still lived at home, though they were all over the age of twenty-one. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door. Who could that be? No one knew she was here. She walked over to the door and opened it slowly, keeping the chain in place. Her eyes widened at her stepson.

"What are you doing here?" she couldn't help asking in surprise.

"Open up."

She closed the door and removed the chain. She opened it and allowed him to enter, momentarily thinking to herself that she must look horrible.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked him.

He looked her over and couldn't help but stare. As long as he'd known her, he had never seen his stepmother like this before. She was wearing a dingy looking white t-shirt, baggy sweat pants and thick socks. Her usually styled hair was swept up into a messy ponytail and looked like it had seen nor hairbrush or shampoo in a few days. She wore no makeup and dark circles were under eyes.

"I just called around. You did use your name," he reminded her.

She nodded wearily. "Why are you here?" she asked again, slightly hoping Jecht had sent him.

He sighed. "My Dad's a mess. I saw him two days ago and the house is a mess, too. He looks as bad as you do. Why don't you go see him and talk to him? I know he wants you to."

"Did he say that?"

"Of course he didn't. You know he's stubborn. But, listen, all he wants you to do is admit that you were wrong."

"I didn't do anything wrong."

"He thinks the pictures were wrong, and he's right. You shouldn't have had them. Why did you have them?"

"I…don't know. The opportunity presented itself to me to take them, and I should have resisted, but I didn't…I hid them in my sewing box."

"What the hell was Dad doing in her sewing box?" he couldn't help asking. In all of his twenty years, he had never known Jecht to be domestic.

"I don't know. We were too busy arguing about the pictures for me to ask him why he had been in the box."

"Why do you have pictures of me? How'd you get them?"

For the life of her, she couldn't explain the rationale for the pictures. Not even to herself. Why was he asking her how she had gotten them? Certainly, he must have remembered that she had cared for him when he'd been sick with the flu. She watched as recognition came into his eyes.

"What's the matter with you? You can't keep doing this. For the last time, you're my Dad's wife. There will never be anything between us," he said, shaking his head.

"I know that! I love Jecht, I really do…"

"Then…why?"

"You…remind me of someone."

"Who?"

"My very first boyfriend, actually. I was fourteen years old and he was a year older. His name was Diao."

"What happened to him?"

"He…drowned in the Luca harbor two days before his sixteenth birthday."

Tidus didn't know what to say. He was certainly sorry she had lost her first boyfriend, but he wasn't his replacement. Not even Jecht was. It was obvious that she hadn't fully recovered from her loss. He realized for the first time that despite the fact that she had been married to his father for nearly a decade, he hardly knew his own stepmother.

"It was very hard on me. We were very close. Anyway, I don't really feel like rehashing the past, but since you asked…"

He nodded, also finally realizing what she and his father had in common. Both had lost someone important in their lives. Well, if he had anything to do with it, they weren't going to lose each other.

"I still think you should fix yourself up and go talk to him."

"What if he doesn't want to talk? He hasn't called me. He's not concerned about how I'm surviving."

"He has his own way of dealing with things. You know that. Go to him."

She nodded. "Okay. Would you come with me? I don't know how to face Jecht when he's angry."

"What are you going to tell him about the pictures?"

"I don't know. I'll handle it."

He nodded and sat in a chair at the small table to wait until she had made herself presentable. He wondered if Jecht knew about Zalora's first boyfriend. He doubted it. Jecht wasn't the sort of man that liked to be reminded that the women in his bed had known other lovers prior to him. He may have even convinced himself that they hadn't been familiar with any touch except his. Maybe he got off on the thought.

Zalora emerged from the bathroom in a casual pair of jeans and a blouse, but with her slender figure, she was able to make it look like some sophisticated ensemble. Her hair remained in its ponytail, but she had taken a brush and comb to it.

"What was your boyfriend doing on the sea?" Tidus couldn't help asking.

"His father used to take him fishing. A storm came upon them suddenly and Diao got lost in the current. He was a strong swimmer but no match for a ferocious sea storm. They found his body three hours later."

Listening to her story made Tidus even more determined to find out why he hadn't been able to contact Yuna in the past few days. He had never lost anyone besides his mother, and he didn't want to know what it felt like to lose someone else. Besides, he was more than certain that there was a rational explanation. And he would hear what it was one way or the other. If he didn't hear from her by Friday, he was going to take the late airship ride to Bevelle.

"Well, let's go see your father," Zalora declared, picking up her car keys.

Tidus headed out, with her close at his heels, not really sure what his father was going to do once they showed up at the house. He was hoping that Jecht would try to be calm, but it wasn't likely. He was taking a chance by bringing her, anyway. But, in his own strange way, he cared for his stepmother. Even though he deemed her attention/attraction to him more than a little creepy and inappropriate, she was his father's wife. And he would do whatever he could to salvage their marriage.

**End of Ch. 4. **

**Author's Note: Will update the next chapter as soon as possible. Getting a little busy with real life, but I hate unfinished projects, so I will do my best to continue. Thanks for reading.**


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